The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-06-03

seemed to me sometimes, when 1have
been listening to you, that il you
would let the vexed questions
alone, and preach the simple gospel,
the good tidings OF great Joy, tell the
old story OF Jesus and his love, you
might do more good. OF course you
want to do all the good you can, TheO,
dear"
ooh, nonsense. It's the minister s
duty to make the most OF himself.
He must bring the people up to his
intellectual level, not degrade himself
to their ignorance. Really, Ihave too
much respect for myself to get up on
Sunday and indulge in pious plati
tudes to please anybody"
Mrs. Hybrow perceived that it
would be as we'll not to say any more
just then. Instead, therefore, OF re-
plying to this last remark OF her hus-
bands, she began to stroke his hair
IN peculiar way OF hers that seldom
failed to have q soothing effect, and
soon he fell asleep, and in his sleep he
dreamed.
1t was Sunday morning, a bright
and beautiful morning, and the last
bell was ringing for church. So taking
up his hat and hymn book, and a
notice that had been sent in the night
before, he stepped across the street to
his study in the basement.
What was his surprise, upon open
ing the study door, to find a stran-
ger standing in the room. For mo-
ment Mr. HybrOw was inclined to be
indignant at theintrusion. But only
for moment.
A second look, and indignation gave
place to awe. There was an indescrib-
able something about the stranger
that left no room for doubt as to his
identity. 1t was the Savior, the
Christ himself, in mortal form. He
was dressed in the ordinary garb Of a
man. UpCl his face there was an ex,
preston of mingled gentleness and
severity. And his eyes-they seemed
to look the Rev. Theophilus Hybrow
through and through.
"Be not surprised to find me here"
the vision said "Never a Sabbath
morning has failed to find me here.
Have you quite forgotten my promise
to be with you always, even to tn"
end of the world?
''NOr am | here by your permission.
For all that | see is mine. These
books, this furniture, yonder pulpit
all are mine. And you are mine. |
am the King. You are but my mes
senger and mouth-piece. l am here
to-day 10 listen to the message"
ITO listen to the message" The
ophilus began to tremble. What ii
the Kings message had been tamper
ed with by the messenger! And what
if the King should interrupt, and in
the presence of all the people, and in
thunder tones, rebuke him Tor his
meddlesome audacity.
The bell had now ceased to toll, the
organ was about to begin to play,
and it was time to go upon the plat
form.
1t had been the habit of the Rev.
Theophilus Hybrow, the last thing be-
fore ascending the stairs, to arrange
carefully his collar and tie; and there
was a little lock of hair that he had
somehow got in the way Of twirling
between his fingers and drawing down
upon his forehead. He hardly knew
himself why he did it; perhaps, more
than anything else, because he thought
it gave his brow, which was unusually
prominent, an intellectual cast.
From the force OF habit he stepped
toward the looking glass that hung
on the wall of his study, when he saw,
or rather felt, the penetrating eye Of
his guest, first upon him, and then up
on the floor where he stood, and look
ing down he noticed, what had before
escaped his observation, that the car
pet in front ofthe glass was worn quite
smooth. Theophilus felt the hot blood
crimsoning his cheeks, as he turned
hastily away and entered the door
leading to the pulpit.
After the doxology by choir and con-
gregation, and the Lords prayer by
pastor and people, and the opening
hymn, came the scripture lesson. The.
ophilus had selected the fifth chapter
OF Second Corinthians, because it con-
tanned the text for the day. But now
as he read, he wondered why he should
ever have taken that text for that
sermon. He could not see that it had
anything to do with scientific discov-
cries, either past or future. And when
he came to the words, "Now then we
are ambassadorsf for Christ, as though
God did beseech You by us; we pray
you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled
to God," he thought it could not be
that he had ever read the words be-
fore. They seemed in that presence to
be invested with such new and
strange solemnity and power.
Then came the tlong prayer" On
this particular occasion it was not
very long. Never before had the Rev.
Mr.. Hybrow made such blundering
work. He rather pritied himself on
his pulpit devotions. He was seldom
at loss for q word. But now he could
not nrav IL was anch snlamn hnsi-